Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?

Dogs, as a rule, have some pretty disgusting habits. They lick themselves, jam their noses into garbage and roll around in dead things the way that their owners might swim in a pile of free money. However, perhaps one of the more repulsive habits that a dog can manifest is coprophagia; or the eating of feces. While watching a dog eat poop is bad enough, sometimes understanding the reason why can make such behavior look almost logical. It’s also, most times, the key to stopping the dog from eating poop altogether.

One group of reasons dogs will eat poop is behavioral. Stress and anxiety are two reasons that dogs will eat poop, usually their own. If a dog is stressed then it can lead to bizarre behavior. If the dog knows that it will be punished for pooping in the house then it might eat its own poop to avoid being found out and yelled at. Dogs who see their owner dispose of poop might eat it as a way of imitating their masters’ behavior. For dogs that are kenneled the eating of poop might represent the dog cleaning up its own living area, since dogs don’t sleep where they poop as a rule. Another reason, especially if the dog is very young, is as an experiment. Puppies may not know any better and they’d eat it for the same reason any baby would, to see whether it’s a good idea or not.

Another group of reasons, oddly enough, are actual physical reasons that dogs might eat poop. One, and perhaps the most obvious, would be that the dog isn’t getting enough food, and so it’s eating anything it can to get enough fuel. If your dog is eating cat poop then it could be to try and get protein and nutrients, since cat food is packed with protein that isn’t all used up by the cat during digestion. Dogs who are sick, particularly those who have worms or parasites, might be getting sucked dry of nutrients so they will eat poop in order to try and get as many nutrients into their bodies as possible.

There are a wide variety of possible reasons for dogs to eat poop, both their own and others. While disgusting to humans, vaccinated and healthy dogs eating poop isn’t usually a big health risk. To the dog anyway. It does however spread e coli, and it can lead to infections and disgusting moments during play time. So it’s always a good idea to try and break your dog of the need if it’s a physical condition, or the habit if it’s a behavioral one. Don’t freak out about poop, because like children dogs will attribute more importance to it if you do. Stop the dog from having access to poop of all sorts, and reward the dog for changing behavior. As with any sort of training it will take time and reinforcement to break your dog of any coprophagic tendencies.

“Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?” by Jolanta Benal at Dog Trainer
“20 Reasons Why Dogs Eat Poop,” by Anonymous at Pet Comfort Products